Machine mechanics often use machine metal screw fasteners.
Metal screws are defined and ordered in industry by to screw size, thread count, length, and head style. For example, one common standard screw is defined as a 8-32×1 pan head, meaning a size eight screw with 32 threads per inch, one inch long screw, with a pan head.
Irrespective of what type of head a screw uses, builders must employ some method to start the screw into the sheet metal. Some screws are self-tapping, with a notched tip that acts as a drill bit to drive the screw and keep thin metal from denting. Non-self-tapping screws require a pilot hole drilled in order to prevent splitting within the materials being fixed together.
Metal screws are self-threading and create metal shavings as the screws enter sheet metal. These shavings are often collected by a magnet that is part of the driver. One such example in the prior art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,461 to Moss, which allows a user to pull the socket portion of the driver away from the magnet.
As the shavings of the metal are collected by the magnet driver of the aforementioned prior art, the shavings accumulate at the head of the driver, inside the socket, and interfere with the driver operation. When enough shavings accumulate, the driver becomes unusable until the socket is cleaned.
To empty the device disclosed in Moss '461, the socket is pulled back, and a user must clean the metal shavings from the magnet. Removing the shavings from the magnet necessitates physically grasping each shaving and pulling it from the driver magnet. Because each metal shaving is small, users struggle to fully dislodge all the shavings.
The metal-working industry would benefit from a nut-driving system that allows for easy separation of driver from the collected shavings.